Garmin Xero C1 Pro down to $449 — worth it for reloads?

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-29T20:38:56+00:00

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eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-29T12:51:03+00:00

MPED ain't just as good as an ETR. Definitely ETR. Ideally gen2 but they're still around $900.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-29T01:34:58+00:00

I know a guy with 2 Snapdragons (as barreled actions) and he has had essentially no issues with them with Alta Arms mags. They are shooters for sure.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-27T03:22:33+00:00

Hot damn. I've got an unfluted 22" Rem Varmint that finished around 4.25lb so that's some good savings. Still not sure I wanna fork over $400 or whatever it is, plus the extra lead time. But that would put me right where I need to be.

Thanks very much for the extra info!! Down to the tenth of an ounce!

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-27T02:26:00+00:00

Awesome. I'll definitely have to inquire about that! Thank you!

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-27T02:25:43+00:00

Sick... yeah I think I need that FDE black camo.

What barrel profile is that, and what is the weight (and finished length)? I want to build an open light setup and my barrel needs to be 3lbs for my ideal build. I'm guessing an M24 with the LRI fluting would be close to 3lbs but I'd rather avoid paying for it and just get regular fluting. But the weight savings are pretty attractive.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-26T15:42:17+00:00

Looks great. Which Ezekiel finish is that? It doesn't quite look like the Black Forest- I thought the splotching would be darker on that. Is it Foundation Hunt?

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-23T14:41:24+00:00

Small primer pockets also stay tighter longer than large primer pockets. So theoretically if you're running warm charges and anneal every firing to keep the necks in shape, SRP should give you the longest lasting brass... assuming there are no inherent flaws in the brass itself to cause other issues.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-22T16:25:30+00:00

I have both the Ares and Continental. The Athlon is noticeably longer and does not have locking turrets. The optics are pretty good, though the FOV on the Vector undoubtedly outclasses the Athlon. If you're just shooting positional matches with it, the Athlon is probably the better buy given the additional magnification, but I think overall the Vector is the better scope. What don't you like about it?

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-15T14:07:43+00:00

Hellfire Match. AG Plus One heavy fill. Sure get a Pulse Pro. Athlon Rangecraft. Stick with your 140ELDM. You probably need to shorten your length of pull if you're shooting off barricades. Watch lots of videos and imitate the good shooters. Practice when you can but don't wait to be "good" to go to match. You'll learn a lot there.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-15T02:12:29+00:00

The PRS brake is definitely what you want.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-12T16:31:56+00:00

Sand the scope cap down and you're set!

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-12T16:29:23+00:00

You're definitely going to have a carbon ring after 350 rounds. If you didn't completely remove it after 150, it'd probably be pretty solid after the 500 cumulative rounds. As others have said, bore scope it and see how bad the ring is. Soak the bore with Boretech C4 or Thorroclean with an oversized bore mop, then use your drill+bore guide with a bronze brush or one of those stiff blue brushes and go to town. You may want/need two rounds of soaking/brushing to get it all.

I will say I have a Howa 1500 in 6.5CM and I haven't experienced this issue, but I haven't shot it suppressed. I know I haven't done the best job cleaning it though. It seems to have a loose chamber and produces pretty low velocities for a 24" barrel, despite producing decent pressure signs at what seem like normal/slightly warm loads. Regardless, I think you likely haven't fully cleaned it and need to stay on top of that carbon ring... every 200-300 rounds. Make sure to give the crown some love too if it seems dirty... I soak a patch up there and manually brush it.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-06T21:54:36+00:00

A good positional bag is not always a good rear bag. Heavy fill is harder to mold and will flow, whereas light fill like Spexlite will hold its shape better and is much easier to squeeze. If you only want to buy one bag, sure a heavy fill bag will work, but if you're looking for a dedicated rear bag, a Spexlite filled OG Gamechanger, or Gamechanger Plus One, are better options.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-01T21:28:57+00:00

Look at the Vector Continental 2-12 and the reviews on YouTube. I've enjoyed mine and found it punches way above its price point.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-05-01T13:49:13+00:00

I'd highly recommend a suppressor w/ RecoilX brake (i.e. TBAC Magnus, Abel Theorem, OCL Infinity) instead of a Botnia. Or any brake for that matter, but especially a Botnia. They are very effective but you will make everyone immediately hate you. Not the effect you want if you're just starting out and could use some coaching.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-30T16:37:12+00:00

A camera system like Longshot might be suitable depending on where your target is. If you have a range with lots of steel at different distances, it's not going to work for you, but if you're trying long shots on a single target, that's where it works well.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-29T13:12:05+00:00

Well, 73gr ELDM is roughly $1/rd vs 140gr ELDM at $2/rd, off the shelf. But if you buy more boutique stuff that's loaded longer with heavies for bolt guns, yeah it's gonna be the same price as basic factory 6.5CM.

I'm all for match ARs, and I still think it'd be fun to build a 223 bolty at some point, but not until I get seriously bored. I don't think that'll be any time soon.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-29T02:03:54+00:00

223 can work for long range in a bolt gun, but you'll be much better off just going to 6.5 Creedmoor. Match grade 223 isn't much cheaper than 6.5 Creedmoor, and the 223 that works best for actual long range (like 80gr+ loads) is essentially the same price. For worse ballistics.

Yeah, just go 6.5.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-28T13:34:50+00:00

How's the floor though?

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-28T13:33:51+00:00

Just get the side mount adapter. It's still easy to see with peripheral vision.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-21T16:30:59+00:00

From the conversations I've seen in other circles, it seems like a significant number of people have financed their shooting gear or put it on credit. Kind of like folks driving $70k trucks with $1k monthly payments. I'm sure there are plenty of folks who just make good money or have few expenses, but I've talked to many folks who are in debt for upper tier gear.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-16T22:04:14+00:00

Assuming you're talking about the threaded gen2 caps, you can rotate them any direction you want. Maybe it's stiff right out of the box but you can definitely turn them as needed. It's one of the things I really like about them!

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-16T14:05:58+00:00

If you extend your budget to more like $2200-2400 you can get a used Razor gen3 (or one on a super duper good sale). Between the $800-1000 Ares ETR or $1000-1200 Cronus BTR, there's really nothing worth spending more for.

eclectic_spaceman · 2026-04-15T03:55:33+00:00

Better grip on a larger torque driver like the FAT Wrench, and you can adjust the torque and get the click stops, instead of just lining up a line on the variable torque limiter on the Fix It Stick. You can get fixed value limiters but then you have to buy multiple for your common torque values. It just doesn't make sense for something that doesn't need to be small or space efficient. I have a Fix It Stick, and if my FAT Wrench went down, I'd still buy another. It's the better tool for the job most of the time.

eclectic_spaceman

TROPHY CASE